


My Remedy

by mywritingbox



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Cassian helping Nesta, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Soft Nessian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2018-02-01
Packaged: 2019-03-12 02:12:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13537497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mywritingbox/pseuds/mywritingbox
Summary: Cassian helping Nesta overcome her fear of the bathtub. | Soft Nessian is my favorite kind of Nessian and no one will take it away from me lol.





	My Remedy

 

Nesta stared down grimly at the empty bathtub. She did not want to take a bath. She was perfectly fine with her damn bucket but  _someone_  wouldn’t stop nagging her about it.

“Time to face those fears, young lady.”

She rolled her eyes then glowered at him.

“I don’t want to.”

“You were able to sit in there for a little bit everyday this past week.” Cassian replied. “Let’s try that with more water this time.”

Nesta frowned, her fingertips tracing the edge of the tub. “I don’t want to.” she mumbled again and Cassian gave her a look.

“Nes.” he started, pulling her against him and interlacing their fingers. “You need to push those fears. You can’t let it control you.  _You_  told me to help you. I’m here to help you. You can do this. You’ve been doing it. It’s going to be fine.”

Her eyes locked on their interlaced fingers and she pursed her lips. He was right, of course.

She just  _had_ to have those eight shots of vodka and just  _had_  to open her big fat mouth about the damn bathtub thing. She just  _had_ to make him promise to help her get over it. Her eyes followed the matching tattoos that laced both their hands down to their forearms. What an idiotic way to seal a bargain. And it wouldn’t go away until they fulfilled it. So here they were.

“I’ll have to be naked.”

“That is generally how one takes a bath, yes.” Cassian said and the smirk that followed had her glaring at him. “But seeing as you’ve been wearing something each time you sat in here, I didn’t think you remembered that.”

“I don’t want to be naked with you.”

“Now now, no need to lie, sweetheart. You said very different things on that eventful drunken night of yours.”

She groaned and he laughed, bringing a hand up to lift her chin and meet her gaze.

“It’ll be fine. I’ll wait outside. We’ll only put a little bit more water than last time and I’ll wait until you need me.”

Nesta’s face paled and the grip on his hand tightened. “No. I don’t want you to be outside.”

“Then I’ll be here with you and you can wear something you don’t mind getting wet.”

Nesta swallowed then frowned. She loved him. Getting naked shouldn’t be a problem, right? She actually hated sitting in wet clothing but the prospects of being completely bare in front of him…

There had been a lot of touching here and there, hands had slipped under dresses and shirts. It wasn’t like he didn’t know what would be underneath her clothes. He’d certainly felt her up enough.

But this was too many vulnerabilities in one situation.

“Tell me what you’re thinking.” he said quietly and she met his gaze.

“Why are you so nosy?”

He snorted. “You are my business. It’s not being nosy when it’s my business.”

“You think everything  is your business.” she grumbled and he grinned.

“Everything about you is definitely my business.  _Mate_.”

She squinted at him even though her heart leapt at the word. Nesta had been very hesitant about the mating bond even though they both knew it was there. They had talked about it at length and had reached a point they were both comfortable with....but still. Mates or not, they had chosen each other.

“Nesta.”

She hated when he said her name like that. All soft and caring and _loving._  It always made her melt for him. She glanced at him and he gave her an encouraging smile in return.

“I’m thinking...that I love you.” she mumbled. “And getting naked shouldn’t be a problem.”

He gave her a soft smile. “I love you too. And you don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with, Nes. Get one of your sleeping gowns. That should work fine.”

“I was in a sleeping gown when I went into that stupid cauldron.” she grumbled and her fists clenched. Cassian leaned in and gave her a small kiss on the forehead.

“That may be true but there is no cauldron here. It’s just you and me and some water in a bathtub.” he said slowly, reassuringly. “Nice, calm,  _safe_  water. You will be fine.”

Nesta scowled though her heart was thundering. She felt so weak and she hated it. She hated this fear. She hated that it was taking so long to get over it.

“Are you going to start petting the bathtub and telling me now nice and calm that is too?” she asked with a quirked brow. Cassian grinned then on cue, let his hand pet the edge of the tub.

“Nice bathtub. Safe bathtub.”

Nesta shook her head, trying but failing to hold back a chuckle. “You’re impossible.”

“Yet, you wouldn’t have me any other way.” he said with a wink and Nesta snorted, despite the small smile on her lips. He planted a kiss on her cheek then moved around her, wings tucked in tight as to not to knock anything over, and he opened the water to start filling the tub. She watched him, her heart warming incredibly as he moved about.

Sometimes, when he slept beside her at night, she marveled at how they had gotten this far. At how this annoying, bat-like person had wormed his way into her icy cold heart. Gods, it terrified her at times. But then he smiled at her and her stupid heart did flip-flops, making it all okay. She used to think that love was such an idiotic concept and yet, it was best thing she had ever felt.

“Nes?”

He was waving a bottle in her face and Nesta blinked, realizing he had been talking to her.

“Hm?”

“You alright?” he asked, brows furrowed and she nodded.

“I was just thinking.”

“I know it’s hard to resist thinking about me naked, Nes but keep your dress on. I feel like I need to call Az for protection.” Cassian scoffed dramatically and Nesta rolled her eyes.

“I’m going to kick you out if you don’t stop.”

“I don’t think you can resist how magnificent my ass is going to look when I casually bend down to close the water.” he replied with a grin and did exactly so. “Are you watching, Nesta? I’m casually bending.”

Her lips twitched and Nesta tried so hard not laugh when he looked over his shoulder, exaggerating his pose but she failed, her laughter ringing throughout the room. Cassian chuckled as he straightened then leaned in for a kiss, back to holding a bottle up.

“Want to add bubbles? It’ll make it relaxing.”

Her eyes finally flickered back to the tub, momentarily forgotten in their conversation and the laugh died in her throat.

“I don’t know.”

“Hey...look at me.” Cassian said softly, gently guiding her chin so that their eyes met. “I am right here.”

Nesta swallowed and then she asked him a question she had been very hesitant to ask before. “Will you sit in there with me?” she asked quietly and Cassian blinked, then gave her a soft smile.

“Of course.”

She watched him slip off his shirt and her anxiety calmed. He was here, she could do this. Nesta turned and slipped off her dress, a little slowly, hesitantly.  During these previous bathing sessions, Feyre had given her a swimsuit and so she didn’t feel as self-conscious before. But today, she hadn’t anticipated this forced bathing session so she was wearing a matching bralette and panties set that were  _very_  different to the swimsuit.

Judging by the noise that had escaped from Cassian, he seemed to agree and Nesta flushed.

“Don’t get any ideas.”

“A warning would’ve been nice.”

“It isn’t any different.” she insisted which was a lie, she knew it was different. Which was why Nesta refused to face him.

“Forget how nice my ass looks, your ass is the magnificent one, Nes.”

She turned to find him smirking and she glared at him. “You’re a pig.”

“That you love.”

“I hate pigs.”

“Impossible since I’m your favorite.”

“Cassian.”

“Nesta.”

“You’re being irritating.”

“I could do this all day.” he replied, giving her a grin and Nesta was ready to launch herself at him. “But, the water is going to get cold and while you were giving me a strip tease, I remembered to add the bubbles. Let’s not waste this nice opportunity.”

She finally noticed how he was standing in nothing but his boxer shorts and Nesta was satisfied to see that indeed, she was leaving more of an impact on him than she had anticipated.

“You go in first.” she said, her eyes on the steaming water filled way past what she was used to and with bubbles covering most of it. Cassian slowly stepped in and sank down with an exaggerated enough sigh that Nesta couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She watched him settle back, resting against the tub and then he gave her a smile that made her fight against the hesitation she felt.

“Come on, Nes. I’m fine. You’ll be fine too.”

“It’s deeper than before.” she mumbled, nearing the tub. She knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. She trusted him enough. It was the matter of just doing it at this point.

“That’s true. But you can do it. I’m right here if you need me.” he replied with a smile.

Nesta slowly let her fingers dip into the hot water and she watched the bubbles spread around. It couldn’t be so bad. This was different. She was different. Nesta hesitated once more and her eyes flickered to Cassian. His nod was all she needed, he was right there. Nothing bad would happen to her.

Biting her lip, Nesta slowly climbed into the tub and stood for a few minutes, watching the bubbles move gently. Of course Rhys would make tubs this huge just so he and Feyre could fuck around in them. She scowled then swallowed. It was fine. It was completely fine that the water reached this high while she was standing.

“How high will the water reach when I sit down?” she asked, her voice strained and Cassian immediately moved forward, reaching out his hand.

“Doesn’t matter, your head is always above the water. Look at me.”

Nesta turned her head to meet his gaze and he gave her an encouraging smile.

“See where the water reaches me? It won’t go past there. You’ll always be above the water.”

“Above the water.” she repeated quietly, her hands locked at her sides.

“Yes.” Cassian confirmed again then reached out and gently tugged on her hand. “Come, sit down with me. I won’t let go of your hand.”

Nesta swallowed again then slowly, clenching Cassian’s hand as tightly as she could manage, she sank down into the tub.

“ _Cassian_.” she choked out, her knuckles turning white as she tightened her grip. This was a bad idea. She shouldn’t have listened to him. This was going to be a terrible, terrible thing --

“I am right here.” he said calmly, pulling her body against his in the water. She had sat, braced on her knees, one hand still gripping his and the other gripping the edge of the bathtub. “Take a deep breath, Nesta. Everything’s fine.”

Nesta did as she was told, taking a deep breath and then blinked, glancing around her at the pool of water with bubbles surrounding them. The water was steady. Nothing was pulling her down and she felt the firm bottom of the tub. The water reached a little bit below her shoulder. She was fine.

“I’m fine.” she said quietly.

“Yes.”

“The water is fine.”

“Feels quite nice, actually.” Cassian replied, his tone humorous but his eyes never wavered off her for a moment. Nesta’s gaze flickered to her hand that was firmly locked in his and then to the other, firmly gripping the tub. Slowly, very hesitantly, she moved the hand gripping the edge of the tub closer to where it met Cassian’s shoulder and then she let go, quickly moving her hand to grip his shoulder instead, feeling his warmth.

She felt Cassian watching her as she pursed her lips, her eyes firmly on the hand gripping his shoulder. Her heart was still beating wildly despite the reassurance of having him there. But here she was, sitting in a tub filled with water and bubbles and a large Illyrian.

“You’re right here.”

“Yes, I am.”

“You won’t go?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Not unless you want me to.”

“I don’t.”

“Then I’m not going anywhere.”

Nesta met Cassian’s gaze as his hand reached out to brush her hair to the side and he leaned in, planting a soft kiss on her shoulder.  She flushed. And Nesta Archeron didn’t flush.

“Are you using your Fae magic on me?” she asked quietly, taking a jab at that one moment between them long ago when his lips had first gotten a taste of her neck.

Cassian chuckled as Nesta slowly let go of his hand and placed it on his other shoulder instead.

“You tell me, Nesta. Am I?” he replied, his hands coming to firmly grip her waist and pull her closer into him. She settled on his lap, straddling him, less scandalized to be in this position then she expected. Nesta leaned in to rest against his chest, her head tilting up slightly so her eyes would find his.

“I should be able to do this on my own.” she whispered to him but Cassian only curled a strand of damp hair behind her ear.

“You  _can_  do it on your own. Doesn’t mean you have to.” he replied simply.

“You can’t always be here to do this with me.” she argued and Cassian only gave her a smile as his finger slid up her arm to her bralette strap and he gently pushed it down.

“Actually, I can. We can make it a thing we do. Take bubble baths together.” he said and leaned in, kissing her shoulder again and she let him. She let him and let her eyes flutter shut when his kisses moved from her shoulder to her neck. Nesta let him, as his tongue darted out to taste the sweet spot higher up on her neck. She let him, as he sucked gently, causing her fingers to dig into his shoulder and a rush of air to escape her lips.

“You’re doing it again.” she whispered when his hands slid up from her waist, gently massaging her sides and back.

“Doing what?” he asked quietly, his fingers sliding just underneath the bralette she was really despising at the moment.

“Using your Fae magic to distract me.” Nesta replied and he laughed, his lips finally coming up to place a kiss on hers.

“I must be so powerful to be able to use any kind of magic on the mighty Nesta Archeron.” he teased and she chuckled, leaning her head back to place a soft kiss on his neck.

“Are you going to tell me it’s some magic called love next?” Nesta replied, wrinkling her nose in feign disgust and Cassian laughed again, leaning in to kiss said nose.

“No magic needed to get you to fall for my charms, sweetheart.” he replied with a grin and she rolled her eyes.

“Don’t ruin the moment.”

“Does putting bubbles on your head count as ruining the moment?”

Nesta paused. She had almost forgotten that she’d been sitting in the bathtub for this long. Her hands weren’t gripping him as tightly as before. Her body felt relaxed.

She was okay. She was safe.

Nesta locked eyes with Cassian and her heart felt so full. This was only a start but it was something she could work with. She’d found a remedy.

“As long as I get to give you a bubble beard in return.”

Cassian laughed then leaned in, his lips locking on hers and she returned the kiss with as much fever as she could muster.

If this was how her baths were going to be from now on, Nesta found that she didn’t mind sitting in a bathtub at all. In fact, as Cassian deepened their kiss and his arm wrapped around her waist, Nesta was looking forward to spending more time in the water with him.

Maybe next time, they wouldn’t have any clothes between them.

Maybe.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is always welcome :)


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